October 25, 2023
By MEALAND RAGLAND-HUDGINS
Rutherford County Schools
Oakland Middle took home the Rutherford County middle school football championship Monday night with an 8-6 double overtime win against defending champion Blackman.
Both schools went undefeated during the regular season, with Oakland capturing the East Division and Blackman taking the West.
The title has gone to one of the two schools since 2018, when Blackman won. Oakland followed up with a three-peat in 2019, 2020 and 2021.
Blackman won over LaVergne and Oakland beat Stewarts Creek in the semifinals. Siegel Middle hosted the 2023 title game.
Travarus Holloway has been at Oakland Middle for six years, spending the last five as an assistant before being named head coach prior to this season. While winning the championship was just one of the goals his team had for the season, Holloway hopes the players rely on the life lessons they learned this year.
“I hope the players learned that they are more than an athlete,” Holloway said. “I hope they learned that grades, being disciplined and character matter first and foremost.”
The OMS coaching staff includes Benji Arnette, Kareem Pankey and Aaron Reid.
“I would like to commend all the coaches in the county for all the work and long hours they put in, the spouses of the coaches for their sacrifices, Mr. Decker for taking a chance on me, and last but definitely not least my coaches, my team, my parents, and the entire Oakland community for the overwhelming support,” Holloway said.
Oakland Middle held a “hallway rally” Tuesday morning to celebrate with the entire school.
At the conclusion of the game, the following players were named recipients of the All-Conference Award:
Christiana: Maxwell Dennis
LaVergne: Alie Bangura
Rock Springs: Elijah Chestnutt
Rockvale: Connor Nichols
Rocky Fork: Kap Khup
Siegel: Aaron Pitts
Smyrna: Zach Smith
Stewarts Creek: Jaden Stewart
Whitworth-Buchanan: Jayden Carney
Blackman: Myles Teague, Jeisun Thompson, Max Curry, Ja’vonni Malone
Oakland: Jadarious Bingham, Mason Hargrove, Davion Smith Jr., Mike Ekezie